Thanks Driven Obedience (1Thessalonians 5:12-22)   Thanksgiving and rejoicing are inextricably (intimately) linked in the Christian experience.  Joy is a pleasure in experiencing the good gifts of God, which gives rise the thankfulness toward God as the giver.  And these two drive us to obedient submission to the King of kings and the Ruler of all. 1 Thessalonians 3:9 (NKJV), “For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God.” And then obedience leads to joy, which brings forth thanksgiving.  Proverbs 21:16-17 (NLT), “Justice is a joy to the godly, but it terrifies evildoers.  The person who strays from common sense will end up in the company of the dead.” 3 John 1:4 (NKJV), “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV), “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of throne of God.” ·      This unique chain of faith can begin with any link.  Start giving thanks and watch how your joy grows.  Be joyful and watch how you want to please God through your obedience.  Be obedient and watch how you will be thankful with the results.      1)    The forgiveness we experience can motivate us to live our lives for God.   Luke 7:47 (NKJV), “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to who little is forgiven, the same love little.”   2)    What happens to those of us that don’t get motivated to live for God because of His forgiveness?   2 Peter 2:20-21 (NKJV), “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”   3)    Mary Magdalene, once freed from sin, was so motivated that she served Jesus and was blessed.   a)    Somehow Mary Magdalene had become entangled with demonic forces. Luke 8:2 (NKJV), “And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities – Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons.”   b)    Mary’s out pouring of gratitude: i)      Mary supported the work of Jesus. ii)    She was present at Jesus’ death.   Mark 15:40-41 (NKJV), “There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.”   c)    She was the first to see the risen Jesus.   Mark 16:9 (NKJV), “Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.”   Introduction   When Paul first traveled to Thessalonica, many people who worshiped idols turned their lives over to God. People in Thessalonica turned from empty things to serving the living and true God.   Their new lives were not easy and many of their friends and family opposed their new faith.  Despite the positive changes in their lives, some people mocked them and tried to get them to abandon Jesus.  After Paul left, he was concerned if these new believers were grounded enough in their faith to face all the opposition.  So, Paul sent them this letter to encourage them in their faith. When we meet with opposition in our recovery, we can find comfort from the words of Paul to the Thessalonians.  Friends and family may not understand our faith, old habits may give us pressure, pushing us from within to return to our old ways.  But we remain thankful, and that thankfulness drives us to obedience which produces joy.                                                                                           READ (All) 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22   4)    (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13) Paul urges obedience toward their leaders.   [12-13] And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.   a)    Recognize those who labor among you: Christians are to recognize their leaders, and leaders are described in three ways.   i)      Those who labor among you. A leader is not recognized by their title but by the way they serve the flock.  The title must describe that person as he really is before God and man.  A shepherd smells like his flock.   ii)    And are over you in the Lord. A leader is recognized as being “over” the congregation as a shepherd is ruling, guiding, and directing the sheep.  This is a clear and legitimate order of authority.    James 3:1 (NKJV), “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”   iii)   And admonish you. A leader is recognized as those that admonish the congregation.  This means to “caution or reprove gently; or to warn.”    1 Thessalonians 4:11 (NKJV), “That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, as we commanded you.”   b)    Esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake: Christians are called to esteem (honor) their leaders very highly in love.  They don’t deserve esteem because of the title or their personality, but because of their labor on behalf of God’s people; the “forever family.”   i)      Work is an essential aspect of ministry, and thus there is no place for a lazy pastor.   c)    Be at peace among yourselves: Here is how the congregation can “esteem” their leaders, by putting away squabbles and arguments (be at peace).         5)    (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15) Paul exhorts them in how to deal with difficult people.   [14-15] Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.   a)    Now we exhort you: To exhort is to tell someone what they must do, but without sharpness or a critical spirit. It is not rebuke or condemnation, but neither is it merely a suggestion or advice. It is urgent and serious but associated with comfort.   b)    Warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all:Here Paul is not only talking to the pastor and the leaders, but also to the Christians at Thessalonica.  Christians have a duty to address the unruly, provide comfort and support the weak.   i)      The unruly are the people that get out of order, like a soldier that breaks ranks or marches out of step with the rest of the troop.  These must be warned. ii)    The fainthearted are the people that are literally small-souled.  They are timid and lack courage.  These need comfort as to strengthen them. iii)   The weak are the people that need help building up their own strength so that they can stand on their own. (1    lapse into immorality in 1 Thessalonians 4:2-8. c)    Be patient with all: Christians are called to be patient with unlovable and difficult people.  We are not called to minister to faultless people and only minster with flawless people.   6)    (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) The aspects of a Christian’s personal worship.   [16-18] Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.   a)    Rejoice always: “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2), we are called to rejoice in happy things and in sorrowful things.  We can rejoice always because our joy is not based on our circumstances, but it is based on God.  Our circumstances change, good and bad, but God never changes.   b)    Pray without ceasing: Prayer is reverently talking to God.  We can live each minute of each day with regular and flowing conversation with Jesus.   c)    In everything give thanks: We don’t give thanks for everything, but in everything. We recognize God’s sovereign hand is in charge, and not blind fate or chance.   Isaiah 55:9 (NKJV), “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”   i)      “When joy and prayer are married their first-born child is gratitude.” (Spurgeon)   d)    For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you: After each one of these exhortations — rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks — we are told to do this because it is the will of God. The thought isn’t “this is God’s will, so you must do it.” The thought is rather “this is God’s will, so you can do it.” It isn’t easy to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks, but we can do it because it is God’s will.   7)    (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22) Paul now strongly urges them in public behavior. [19-22] Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.   a)    Do not quench the Spirit: We can quench the fire of the Spirit by our doubt, our indifference, our rejection of Him, or by the distraction of others. When people start to draw attention to themselves, it is a sure quench to the Spirit.   b)    Do not despise prophecies: We recognize that the Lord speaks to and through His people today, and we learn to be open to His voice. Of course, we always test prophecies (following the command to test all things), but we do not despise prophecies.   c)    Test all things; hold fast what is good: Even in a spiritual setting evil and deception can show itself.  When we test all things against Scripture and mature discernment, then we can hold to what is good.   d)    Abstain from every form of evil: When the testing is made, any aspect of evil must be rejected. This includes evil that may come with a spiritual image. i)      “The meaning will be ‘evil which can be seen,’ and not ‘that which appears to be evil.’” (Morris)   Conclusion. 8)    (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) Complete sanctification as God’s work in us. [23-24] Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. a)    Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely: The idea behind the word sanctify is “to set apart” — to make something different and distinct, breaking old associations and forming a new association. For example, a dress is a dress; but a wedding dress is sanctified — set apart for a special, glorious purpose. God wants us to be set apart to Him. b)    He who calls you is faithful, and in who will do it: This emphasis completes Paul’s previous exhortations. In all that he told the Christian to do in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 through 1 Thessalonians 5:22, he never intended that they do those things in their own power. Do not be defeated by your self-reliance, but rather surrender to Jesus. 9)    This unique chain of faith can begin with any link.  Start giving thanks and watch how your joy grows.  Be joyful and watch how you want to please God through your obedience.  Be obedient and watch how you will be thankful with the results. 

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